Three dimensional puzzle

ABSTRACT

A multiple dimensional puzzle configuration having interlocking puzzle components defining a fixed geometric shape upon proper assembly. Each of the multiple puzzle elements has multiple surfaces that engage corresponding interlocking surfaces of adjacent puzzle component elements within a display formation for commercial indicia or other so designated messages when assembled.

This application claims benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 61/188,179 filed Aug. 7, 2008.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Technical Field

This invention relates to puzzle art, specifically to three dimensional puzzles that require the user to disassemble and reassemble a puzzle configuration in which the corresponding puzzle parts are interlocked by their interengaging relative physical dimensional aspects.

2. Description of Prior Art

Prior art devices of this type are of a wide variety of different shapes and dimensions; see for example U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,829,101, 5,826,873, 6,293,547, 6,601,849, 6,648,330 and U.S. Publication 2006/0001212 A1.

In U.S. Pat. No. 3,829,101 a puzzle assembly with intersecting pieces is disclosed wherein a block is formed from contoured interengaging puzzle pieces that form two intersecting cylinders within the block.

U.S. Pat. No. 5,826,873 is directed to a three dimensional puzzle having interlocking components, each of which has at least one engageable surface that when so assembled define a known shape.

U.S. Pat. No. 6,601,849 claims a spherical puzzle having contoured interfacing elements to form a representation of a golf ball.

U.S. Pat. No. 6,293,547 discloses a multi-dimensional puzzle wherein a cylindrical base has lateral slots and longitudinal slots so as to define multiple tubular assembled members by joining interengagement surfaces.

U.S. Pat. No. 6,648,330 illustrates a 3D puzzle having a plurality of geometrically different components that have right angular orientations to achieve when so assembled a cube configuration.

U.S. Patent Publication 2006/0001212 A1 defines a block puzzle having a series of puzzle pieces capable of forming a variety of so defined independent dimensional shapes when assembled in a specific way.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

A dimensional puzzle of an assembled geometric shape formed from a plurality of interlocking contoured surface components. Each puzzle component defines both an exterior geometric surface and multiple access interior curvilinear surfaces for inner dimensional registration with one another along corresponding surface interfaces.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the invention in pre-construction form.

FIG. 2 is a front exploded perspective view of the invention in assembled user form in a display base and top.

FIG. 3 is an exploded rear perspective view with one of the puzzle pieces removed.

FIG. 4 is a front perspective view of a reconfigured puzzle configuration defining a sculptural shape.

FIG. 5 is a reconfigured side perspective view thereon in a display base bottom and top assembly.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Referring to FIG. 1 of the drawings, a perspective view of a rectangular puzzle cube 10 from which the basic puzzle 11 of the dimension is derived. The puzzle cube 10 is shown to illustrate the direction and orientation of cuts C which are made therein to achieve the multiple faceted puzzle 11. It will be seen in this example that a first horizontal cut as 12 has been made longitudinally within the cube 10 along the longitudinal axis thereof. The cut 12 extends through the cube 10 in a contoured continuous pattern defining in vertical orientation an identical end entrance and exit points 13A and 13B. A saw blade 14 representation is illustrated as beginning the second longitudinal cut at 15 at right angles to the first cut with a continuous cut along a puzzle piece pattern line 16 indicated by broken lines thereon. The cuts form multiple contoured puzzle pieces 17, 18, 19, and 20. It will be evident from the above description that the so formed puzzle pieces 17-20 can only be removed from the puzzle cube 11 by sliding the part corresponding puzzle pieces pairs along the adjoining contoured axis cut surfaces 17A, 18A, 19B and 20B respectively.

Once separated, as described, the so defined puzzle pieces pairs then can be separated along the corresponding second cut line 16 of their respective adjoining contoured cut surfaces 17B and 20B and 18B and 19B to define the four independent puzzle pieces 17, 18, 19 and 20 hereinbefore described as best seen in FIG. 3 of the drawings.

The critical aspect of the puzzle pieces is that each of the puzzle pieces has multiple contoured surfaces generally referred to at 21 and multiple adjacent opposing flat planar surfaces 22. This unique surface configuration allows for a variety of assemblies beyond that of the basic rectangular puzzle cube 10 when solved as illustrated in FIGS. 4 and 5 of the drawings in which the orientation of the contoured and planar surfaces result in a sculptural shape with the sculptural elements that may extend beyond the original dimensional footprint of the cube 10. Such divergent decorative assembly as a static design or as a puzzle solving starting point is supported by an interchangeable base 23 and top 24, best seen in FIG. 2 of the drawings which have square puzzle piece receiving recessed configurations defined by multiple upstanding sidewalls 25 with an integral platform 26 for a corresponding multiple puzzle piece receiving and retainment area 27 therewithin as hereinbefore referred.

Referring back to FIG. 3 of the drawings, the multiple contoured surfaces 21 of the component puzzle piece 18 can be seen with a puzzle piece not assembled and not able to be assembled to the remaining assembled is puzzle pieces indicated at 28. It illustrates that only by preassembling along the original cut paths before the assembled original puzzle piece pairs are then in turn slidably engaged can the original multiple outer co-planar surfaces of the assembled puzzle cube 10 be achieved.

Referring now to FIG. 4 of the drawings, a 3D puzzle art sculpture is achieved by simply maintaining the longitudinal orientation of the puzzle pieces reassembled so that the so formed outer elongated edge corners will be inverted to define a center while still being engaged within the hereinbefore described retainment base and top 23 and 24 of a preferred square configuration. This orientation will assure that a unique contoured sculptural configuration can be achieved by a variety of different inverted orientations of the respective puzzle pieces 17, 18, 19 and 20 in relation to one another and that, as noted, by definition the so defined contoured surfaces of the respective puzzle pieces thus assembled may extend beyond the original puzzle cube 10 dimensional footprint thus achieving a unique and diverse artistic expression. It will also be evident that the sculptural configuration can be reconfigured as defined by the puzzle solving interengaging contoured surfaces and respective pairs as hereinbefore described to achieve the original solved puzzle cube 10.

It will thus be seen that a new and novel three dimensional puzzle configuration has been illustrated and described and it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various changes and modifications may be made thereto without departing from the spirit of the invention. 

1. A three dimensional puzzle having multiple registering puzzle components derived from a single monolithic element comprising, first and second pairs of puzzle components having corresponding curvilinear engagement surfaces, said first pair of puzzle components having corresponding secondary curvilinear engagement surfaces defining a secondary pair of puzzle components from said first puzzle component pair, said second pair of puzzle components having corresponding secondary curvilinear engagement surfaces defining a secondary pair of puzzle components from said secondary component pair, said first corresponding curvilinear engagement surfaces are at right angle orientation to said corresponding secondary curvilinear engagement surfaces of said respective first and second pairs of puzzle components wherein each of said puzzle components are selectively-engaged to their corresponding puzzle component surfaces in a predetermined registerably selective order.
 2. The puzzle configuration of claim 1 wherein said corresponding curvilinear engagement surfaces are continuously contoured.
 3. The puzzle configuration of claim 1 wherein said corresponding curvilinear engagement surfaces are registerable along one axis.
 4. The three dimensional puzzle configuration of claim 1 wherein each of said puzzle component parts has adjacent contoured engagement surfaces and planar surfaces in oppositely disposed relation thereto.
 5. The three dimensional puzzle configuration of claim 1 wherein said multiple registering puzzle components arrangement define respective oppositely disposed end surfaces of geometric retainment shapes.
 6. The three dimensional puzzle configuration set forth in claim 5 wherein said puzzle component geometric retainment shape end surfaces are engaged in respective retainers of said so defined geometric shape.
 7. The three dimensional puzzle configuration set forth in claim 1 wherein said corresponding curvilinear engagement surfaces are in multiple axis registering engagement with one another.
 8. The three dimensional puzzle configuration set forth in claim 4 wherein the assembly of said multiple registering puzzle components along adjacent planar surfaces define a sculptural assembly.
 9. The three dimensional puzzle configuration set forth in claim 1 wherein said selectively engaged puzzle components to their corresponding component surfaces in a predetermined order define assembled display surfaces for indicia thereon. 